The growing global transition from non-renewable to renewable raw materials has spurred significant interest in sustainable alternatives. Nevertheless, the utilisation of amberlite resin for catalysing the production of epoxidised palm oil remains underexplored. This study investigates the effects of varying the molar ratio of formic acid to palm oil (0.5 : 1, 1 : 1, and 2 : 1) and different stirring speeds (150 rpm, 250 rpm, and 350 rpm) on the resulting oxirane value. Findings indicate that a molar ratio of 1 : 1 between formic acid and palm oil results in a 62 % oxirane value within 30 min, surpassing the outcomes of other tested ratios. A stirring speed of 350 rpm produced the highest oxirane value, at 68 %, compared to stirring speeds of 250 rpm and 150 rpm. The experiment successfully optimised the 1 : 1 molar ratio of formic acid to palm oil and a stirring speed of 350 rpm to increase epoxidation of palm oil. The Runge-Kutta Fourth Order method, in conjunction with genetic algorithm optimisation for numerical integration, was used to establish a mathematical model.
While high-rise mass-timber construction is booming worldwide as a more sustainable alternative to mainstream cement and steel, in South America, there are still many gaps to overcome regarding sourcing, design, and environmental performance. The aim of this study was to assess the carbon emission footprint of using mass-timber products to build a mid-rise low-energy residential building in central Chile (CCL). The design presented at a solar decathlon contest in Santiago was assessed through lifecycle analysis (LCA) and compared to an equivalent mainstream concrete building. Greenhouse gas emissions, expressed as global warming potential (GWP), from cradle-to-usage over a 50-year life span, were lower for the timber design, with 131 kg CO2 eq/m2 of floor area (compared to 353 kg CO2 eq/m2) and a biogenic carbon storage of 447 tons of CO2 eq/m2 based on sustainable forestry practices. From cradle-to-construction, the embodied emissions of the mass-timber building were 42% lower (101 kg CO2 eq/m2) than those of the equivalent concrete building (167 kg CO2 eq/m2). The embodied energy of the mass-timber building was 37% higher than that of its equivalent concrete building and its envelope design helped reduce space-conditioning emissions by as much as 83%, from 187 kg CO2 eq/m2 as estimated for the equivalent concrete building to 31 kg CO2 eq/m2 50-yr. Overall, provided that further efforts are made to address residual energy end-uses and end-of-life waste management options, the use of mass-timber products offers a promising potential in CCL for delivering zero carbon residential multistory buildings.
